Following Finland's failure to reach the 2010 World Cup, Jussi Jaaskelainen has announced his retirement from international football.

The 34-year-old has earned 55 caps for his country, with the last being in the 1-1 draw with Germany earlier this month.

Speaking to the club's official website, the big Finn hopes the decision will allow him to prolong his career at the Reebok Stadium.

"I am proud of what I achieved with Finland over the last 11 years," he said.

"I have considered this decision long and hard, and I believe that it is now the right time to give younger Finnish goalkeepers the chance to play on the international stage, so it looks like I am not going to be with the team when the qualifiers start for the 2012 European Championships.

"There have been players like Brad Friedel, Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes who have benefited by retiring from international football, and I hope that my decision will allow me to continue performing for Bolton Wanderers for many years to come."